Nissan Seminar: Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific: From Vision to Reality

Convener(s): Professors Roger Goodman and Kristi Govella

Speaker(s): Dr Eva Pejsova (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

When Japan’s late Prime Minister Abe Shinzō introduced the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) concept in 2016, few would have imagined the effect it will have on global geopolitics.  While initially highlighting the confluence between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, the FOIP has been instrumental for the formulation of other major powers’ strategic outlooks in Europe, Asia, and across the Atlantic, providing a new overarching conceptual framework that continues to define Indo-Pacific security dynamics today. In many ways, the FOIP embodies the transformation of Japan’s own security identity, from being a follower to an emerging thought leader and a proactive player in regional affairs. This lecture traces the evolution of Japan’s foreign and security policy since Abe’s second term, drawing on the shifting domestic, regional and global security considerations, and pondering on the challenges laying ahead of the implementation of Tokyo’s novel strategic vision.